'I had extra motivation today' - Quinn Simmons dedicates Tour de Suisse stage win to Gino Mäder
American road race champion Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) powered to victory in stage 3 of the Tour de Suisse, dedicating his win to the late Gino Mäder, one day after the two-year anniversary of the Swiss rider's tragic death.
"I really wanted to win yesterday on the anniversary we lost Gino," Simmons said after the finish. "I'm doing it a day late, but now I can pay a bit of tribute to him."
Simmons emerged victorious, attacking from a small breakaway group of six riders, despite admitting he had doubts very early in the stage. His emotional celebration included an eagle gesture, representing his American champion's jersey, before he pointed to the sky in memory of Mäder.
Simmons also acknowledged the difficulty of competing at the Tour de Suisse again after Mäder's fatal crash in 2022. The American later told Velo that he had considered retirement in the wake of the tragedy.
"It's really hard for me to be here again, especially seeing his mom at the start," Simmons explained. "I had extra motivation today.”
The victory also holds special significance as it marks Simmons' first win while wearing the Stars and Stripes jersey of the American national champion.
"Last time I was in this jersey, I never won a bike race and had a terrible season," he revealed. "It was a huge motivation to win in the American Champion jersey."
When asked about the significance of his victory, adding another WorldTour stage win to his sole account of one WorldTour stage in his career [Volta Catalunya], Simmons confirmed its importance in his career progression.
"To win a World Tour race in my national jersey, it's for sure up there," Simmons said.
